Set Me Free

Chapter Three

Now Juno knew exactly why she was apparently crawling all over Nix. It’s because he’s sinfully delicious looking, and her body didn’t even feel like her own with how Nix made her burn, yearning for his touch. His attention was solely on her and she craved more of it which scared her. Rushing through the throng of party goers she finally saw her sisters on the other side of bouncing heads as the mass jumped to the beat of the pulsing music.

Squeezing she nudged her way through, feeling an elbow in her ribs, knees hitting her thighs. She felt like a piece of bread being squished into a grocery bag with a heavy object cramming down on top. She hoped she was half way through, no longer can she see her sisters, she was so knee deep in the growing crowd, side stepping a berserk bouncer who was bashing his head and limbs to the beat of the music, looked more like an exorcism. A hand  landed on her elbow stopping her. Turning around her eyes were met with the familiar sexy curls and two deep intense eyes that made her feel naked. Soul piercing gaze under those forest green eyes during sun rise, in this darkened room they looked like they practically glowed. Swallowing the lump in her throat she pulled her arm out of his grasp. She may have this confusing desire for him but she won’t make the same mistake twice. She’s with Kevin she keeps chanting to herself, hoping that thought alone would keep her steady and not fall into his aura of temptation.

“I’m sorry, Nix. I can’t do this, this is wrong. I have to go, please don’t come after me or bother me again.” Albeit she sounded rather harsher than she intended, but she saw no other way than to nip it at the stem. Hopefully he’ll take the cue and leave her alone. Turning around she wiggled away. She glanced over her shoulder and watched him fade away into the dancing crowd, almost like he was never there and just a phantom of lust in her head. Letting out a breath she didn’t realize she was holding she made her way to her sisters.

“There you are! I thought I’d have to uphold my guard duty in a minute.” If only she knew. Somewhere, deep in the recess of your own dark corners of your mind, a tiny voice squealed happily knowing she wasn’t there on the terrace.

“I definitely could have used you a minute ago.” Juno tells her sisters.

“Wooo! Does it have anything to do with McSteamy over there?” Emra points to the crowd over Juno’s shoulder, trying to nonchalantly turn which was more of an ungrateful rapid spin, her eyes immediately found Nix. He’s chatting up a group, a group of mostly girls. A pang of anger built inside her even though she knew better because why should she care? She and Nix aren’t even together, and for a good reason, she has Kevin. So why is it that watching him around other women bothered her so? The girls laugh out loud at something he said. His smile was disarming and ridiculously charming. It’s no surprise that women would fall into his lure.

Nix stopped talking and turned his head in her direction. Blushing scarlet red at being caught watching him, his eyes ensnared her. Everything turned into white noise all around her, Emra and callies voices faded away, the heavy tempo of the music even died away as if it came from some far away land. All her attention was on Nix, her heart pounded against her ribcage violently, the temperature in the room burned hot like the inside of a volcano. Why couldn’t she stop thinking about him and the way his lips moved, how they’d feel on her skin. She touches her bottom lip feeling the phantom ghost of the kiss earlier, still fresh in her mind, her lips tingled with the memory of it. If given any more time she’s sure sure she’d be throwing her clothes at him and in no way would she have any ounce of modesty left.

“Well, you should figure something out because time is up.” Callie's voice interrupted your blind filled haze, turning to her she stares at her sister's face with a confused look.

“Oh no…”Emra screeched silently on Juno’s other side. Swiveling her head like a ping pong she followed Emra’s cold glare off to the side catching sight of Kevin making his way towards them. Still wearing his crisp white dress shirt, his pants still the same business black, but different shoes she mused. Has time to change his shoes but not his clothes.

“s**t!” Juno drops her head into her hands, shaking slowly. What is she supposed to do? WHy is Kevin even there? Is he there to collect her like some sort of prize or plan to control her by telling her what she should be doing? She already made it clear she was spending time with her sisters, why can’t he understand that, or did he presume he can just come and ruin her fun night with the continuation of their earlier conversation which she has no intention of doing it here.

Callie’s tone was cold and angry, “Why is he here?”

“Yea! No one invited him!” Emra chimed in.

“Come on guys, go easy on him.” Both of them roll their eyes. Annoyed at Juno’s defense of him but not willing to argue about it. Emra secretly looks over at Kevin as he makes his way over, pushing through people like a man on a mission.

“Lately I’ve noticed that he sort of follows you around like a lost puppy whenever he’s back in town.” Suspicion outlining her words.

Juno turns her attention to Emra, now beginning to get irritated at her sisters. They mean well but the constant back and forth from everyone is dwindling her reserves of patience. “Is that so wrong?” She all but hissed. Emra shrinked back away from Juno’s hostile tone, Callie interjected with a firm voice, yet with a certain calmness. 

“No...but we also don’t think it’s healthy.” Emra looks away none too pleased by being yelled at but also was her answer. Taking a hearty gulp of her margarita she looked to see if Nix was still watching but to her disappointment he was nowhere to be found. Was she grateful or was she pining on him seeing her with Kevin. Was that cruel to do? Or was she trying to make him feel jealous even though that would make zero sense. Why should she care if Nix had an entourage of women throwing themselves at his feet. That’s for the best, she said. It would just make things far more complicated.

“Hell girls! You are all looking lovely tonight. And you my beautiful, Diamond.” Kevin greets Emra and Callie then turns his attention on Juno. Internally she felt herself shrink back. His smile was warm, his eyes followed your body from head to toe, stopping not very subtly on her cleavage. Folding her arms she confronted Kevin.

“I didn’t say this before you left, but damn do you look magnificent.” Not wanting to start a fight she decided tact was the best course. He means well and she shouldn’t jump on him suddenly. She wrapped her arms around his lean waist, his arm coming down over her shoulder, tugging her closer rather sudden. Juno was pushed into his chest and he smelled of acrid smoke and ash, like he’s been smoking. Juno found herself hugging a giant ashtray and she all but gagged. When did he start smoking she asked herself? She never knew he smoked.

“So, can I ask what brings you here?” Kevin threads his hand into her long blond lock and curls a strand around his finger. His eyes flash unrecognizably for a split second, that Juno thought it was a trick of the strobe lights from above.

“Can’t I check up on you?” He says warmly, but there was a sharp edge to his tone.

“She’s with us, you know that right? Nothing will happen to her.” Callie comes up pulling Juno away from Kevin. Kevin releases her and puts his hands in his pockets rocking back on his heels. “Is that why she was wasted last night?” Juno narrowed her eyes at Kevin. She isn’t a child and he’s treating her as such. She slaps his chest firmly getting angrier by the second.

“I hope you didn’t come here to be a total ass. You aren’t my father or my mother. You have no right to tell me what I can or can’t do! And it’s not their fault if I did get drunk and so what that I did! I’m alive and allowed to have fun you know! Not that you would know anything about that since you’re always out somewhere doing god knows what while I waste away at home. I had fun, get over yourself!”

Kevin looked between the three girls standing firmly before him, each with folded arms. He backtracked and raised his arms, palms out. “Sorry. Just stating that everything from last could have been avoided.” He says misleadingly softer this time.

“Can you just not. Can you for one second just stop thinking you can control my life!? It’s irritating and pissing me off frankly! You come home and think you can tell me what, when and how I should be living my life.” Kevin waves his hands in surrender.

“Fine, fine. Anyways, care to dance?” Juno’s eyes bugged out of her head. Her head hurt from the whiplash of the sudden turnaround. She looks at her sisters who both are shaking their heads, and back up at Kevin’s neutral face. Juno leans in and whispers to her sisters so only they can hear.

“I’m going to have a quick talk with him and get him to leave. I’m so sorry about this.” Both girls frowned but refused to look away as they watched Kevin tug a reluctant Juno across the dance floor. The dance floor was still jammed, felt like every part of your body was being touched from every direction, and she absolutely hated it.

Packed like sardines, Kevin wrapped his arms around her waist pulling her close as they swayed to the music. His lips meters from her ear as his ashy breath wafted over her and stung her eyes. Blinking back the tears from the foul stench she turned her head away. How is Kevin so different from before he left? Or has he always been this way but only now is she realizing it. Pulling her flush against him, her breasts painfully flattened between them, his hands roamed adventurously. When his hands skirted close to the bottom of her butt cheeks she grabbed his hands and moved them back to her waist.

“No.” Juno says firmly. She’s angry at him and she will not let him do what he wants. 

“Kidding me?” Kevin scoffs and bewilderment.

Stunned, Juno looks at him with disbelief, “What? What do you mean? I said no, so no is no. That’s it, there is no, ‘Are you kidding me?’” Juno mocked him with air quotations.

“Sometimes I don’t get you.”

More and more lately Juno has been thinking the same thing. In the early stages of their relationship things were great, new and fresh. Now however, it seems things have become stale and achingly frustrating. He isn’t the same, he smokes now apparently, his dominant personality seemed to be more prominent the longer the relationship is. He doesn’t talk to her about the future only that he’s taking care of it. Doesn’t include her on plans about them but instead makes them assuming she’ll fall in line and agree. Eventually Juno would want kids, a dog and the whole cliche white picket fence, with the kids swinging in the yard on a tire swing, all smiles and happy squeals. When she imagines it now, the man beside her isn’t kevin, it’s a faceless person, and it frightens her.

Looking up into Kevin’s eyes, she watched those once beautiful baby blues and they used to fill her with heat and comfort. Now they are cold and empty, nothing she once saw was visible. Juno didn’t see a future of any kind in those eyes that were derelict of any stapes of her future. 

Fact that she even snogged with a complete stranger and strangely doesn’t feel all that bad about it. The guilt that she felt before ran for the hills, no longer visible over the brightening horizon. Would she have made out with a complete stranger like she’s known him for months if she was truly happy in her current situation.

“We can always work on it later.”  He says smoothly.

“Kevin…” Juno pleads.

Kevin leans down and kisses her cheek. The brief contact had her heart flutter but it wasn’t enough to deter her train of thought. “I think we need to talk.” Juno pushes him back, his hold on her remains firm but at least she allowed her chest to breathe a little.

“Ok. I’m listening.” 

“I think we should take a small break from each other and figure  out what we really want.” Kevin's grip tightens on her waist, his fingers digging into her skin causing her to grimace. Placing her hands on his chest she pushes him away slightly.

“Listen, Kevin. Just a small teeny tiny break, nothing else, ok?” Her voice firm, hoping that he would agree as that would save her a ton of time arguing. She is exhausted from arguing all the time, it seems like it's a daily occurrence, scratch that she thought. Only when he’s in town otherwise her world is argument free.

With furrowed brows he asks, “But why?”

Juno c****d her head at him and broke free from his iron hold on her. “You can’t tell me things haven’t been perfect for us? You hardly call me or answer my calls when you go out of state for business. God only knows what you’re doing, and yes the idea of you screwing around has crossed my mind but I also like to think I know you enough to know you wouldn’t. Then you come home and start s**t about my sisters when you know how important they are to me and yet, it seems like you’re trying to manipulate me into avoiding them, or worse never seeing them again. I have gone drastically far with that assumption but this is what you’ve done to me, constantly second guessing almost everything I think or do. Feels like if it doesn’t fit your version of how we should be then you need it removed, and frankly that’s not a relationship I want.” Taking a deep breath Juno felt oddly relieved to have vented out her frustrations and worry. With the ball now in Kevin’s court it’s time to see what she means to him. If he truly cared for her he would at least listen to her and take the break and try again, or so she would think.  From the look in Kevins wild eyes he does not look happy.

“f*****g A! Are you goddamn f*****g serious right now!?” Taking a step away from his violent outburst, Juno looked towards her booth hoping to see her sisters. She felt suddenly very caged in with Kevin being angry and surrounded by a mob of people who are too busy dancing to notice anything around them. “If I wanted to cheat I’ve had plenty of chances to do so.” He yells, a vein in his neck popping angrily at her.

“Oh great, so you’ve had chances, that certainly doesn’t make it any better! Even so, it isn’t about cheating, it’s about my needs and my wants!” Juno slaps her hand over her heart multiple times. Her blood was boiling as she got angrier at Kevin's dismissal of her.

Kevin laughs sardonically, his mocking tone disgusting as he lets his true colors fly. “Like anyone can figure that s**t out! You’re like a damn puzzle, everytime I find a piece it ends up being wrong!” As usual, Kevin is now turning it around blaming her for all their faults and problems. Never taking any responsibility. Juno knows she isn’t perfect and will make mistakes but at least she admits so.

“I’m really not that complicated, Kevin! I’m actually quite simple despite what you make it out to be, some unsolvable jigsaw puzzle.” Kevin's eyes moved above your head at something behind her.

Juno felt a presence, her spine tingled, then she heard his warm, sinfully seductive voice wrap itself around her. “May I cut into this lovers quarrel?”

Nix was standing stoically, his massive frame towering over them. He’s a good three feet taller than Kevin. Nix’s deep molten eyes traveled to mine and softened , his lips moved again, speaking directly to her, ignoring Kevin’s pissed off glare.

“And may I have this dance?” Nix’s deep voice had her thighs clenching tightly. His outstretched hand was a tempting invitation and an easy escape from Kevin. Looking into his eyes that’s exactly what it was, an offered escape from an uncomfortable situation. Tired of arguing and no long having anything else to say to Kevin that would change their status, she gladly placed her much smaller hand into his, feeling his calloused palm and strong fingers take hold of her hand. Probably not the best idea she vaguely mused, but it was still a grateful and much needed escape.

“No she can’t!” Kevin yelled.

Sparing him a dirty glare, she followed Nix as he pulled her along. Nix’s attention was on Juno, reading her face for answers and when she didn’t argue or fight him, he pulled her along. Juno’s thumb absently glided over Nix’s knuckles, feeling the grooves and divots of scarring across his knuckles.

“Thank you.” She whispered to him. He grinned and nodded subtly.

Juno would have laughed if she wasn’t still furious. Didn’t she tell Nix earlier that she wanted nothing to do with him and here she is, throwing caution to the wind. Kevin had boyish good looks with a natural charm and eyes that made you fall into his arms, whereas Nix was evil incarnate. Not really, but he carried himself like a bull, with scarred hands and a dark devilish grin that pulls her in like a magnet. His dark tousled hair begging for her fingers to thread through. Both at different ends of the spectrum, but it’s just a dance she told herself. Just an innocent dance, nothing more. Least that’s what she kept reminding herself.

“Hey, dude! That’s my girl! What the hell do you think you’re doing!?” Kevin calls out from behind us just as we break free from the mass of bodies, Emra and Callie standing there expectantly, both sharing worried glances with each other. Juno realized Nix didn’t want to dance, instead he escorted her to her sisters. She wasn’t sure if she was happy or disappointed that she wouldn’t get a chance to dance with big, brooding, Nix.

Kevin breaks from the crowd and storms up to the group, pointing his finger accusingly at Nix. Callie moves to block him, extending a hand out stopping him from coming closer.

“Guys, I think that’s enough.” Emra jumps into the fray as well joining callie and creating a barrier.

Folding her arms across her chest, Callie spoke to both men with a stern. Stopping them both in their tracks. Nix’s hand loosened but Juno kept a firm hold. The lights above drowned the room in darkness as they turned off and flipped back on with bright greens, shapes dotted the room as they circled around, the techno beats pulsed and jumped with increasing fervor.

“No! I won’t due to this schmuck coming up here and trying to seduce my girl!” Juno cringed, that’s not something you say in front of her protective sisters, for one, and a second, from the look on Nix’s darkened face, especially not in front of him.

Callie and Emra eyebrow raised simultaneously. Nix looks down at Kevin and just smirks, an antagonizing smirk that only fueled the volatile fire giving it strength, enough for it to combust.

“What’s so goddamn funny!?” Nix leans down and whispers in Juno’s ear. His voice sent shivers down her spine, her arms broke out in goosebumps and her stomach clenched. This man was tearing her apart and it seemed without any resistance. But how does she resist a man who looks like a fallen angel, with promises to be offered, and sins to be made. 

“Juno?” Nix’s voice was wickedly deceptive as he said her name. Looking up into his emerald eyes, they pulled her in, tuning everything around her out.

“I can’t resist, but hate me if you must.” Confused by his admission, she didn’t have long to react as one large hand cupped the back of her neck as his lips dipped down, capturing hers. At first she denied him as she was too stunned to react, but when her senses returned she didn’t pull away, in fact she parted her lips and accepted him. Her will power crumbled to dust, his tongue slipped between the crease in her lips, lashing out against her tongue.

Opening her lips further, feeling his all consuming mouth, heat pooled in the center of her belly as she burned for this man, the man known as Nix. After the chaotic dueling of tongues he pulled back, albeit reluctantly, he didn’t want to stop anymore than she did, his teeth nipping her bottom lip, pulling as he set her feet back on the floor. She wasn’t even aware that he was holding her suspended, but once she felt solid ground beneath her she swayed and thankful Nix kept his arms on her or she may have fallen, like a drunk on a boat in the middle of the ocean, jelly legged and numb.

Callie stares up to the ceiling with a defeated sigh, “Well, I tried.”

Emra pats Calli’s shoulder In support. “You did your best.”

Torn and confused, Juno stood open mouthed and numb. Callie and Emra both looked at her like she grew two heads. Nix was staring at Kevin, his eyes daring, taunting. Kevin being Kevin, took action and swung his fist out. Nix pushed Juno out of the way and easily dodged Kevin’s wild throws. Kevin became even more infuriated as Nix dipped and weaved around his fists like he’s done this before. Somewhere in the back of Juno’s mind a certain piece clicked, the scars on his knuckles, and the way he expertly avoided being hit and made it look effortless. No doubt he must have been in enough brawls. The crowd behind them broke apart like the sea parting, making room for the two men as they moved around, Nix dodging and Kevin chasing him in anger. Juno called out to them trying to stop them, to diffuse the situation but nothing reached them, her voice was drowned by the cheering crowd. Callie and Emra came to Juno’s side and together they watched the fight unfold.

“Stop it! Both of you!” Juno cried out angrily.

“Hun? I don’t think they can hear you.” Callie says, watching the fight.

Juno looks to her sisters in desperation, pleading with her eyes. “What do I do?”

“Let the big men fight it out. I for one love some eye candy just going at it. Well, one of them is eye candy.” Emra smirks at Juno. “Nothing like sweat, blood and hot sex.” Callie and Juno both gawked at their younger sister.

“Don’t get your panties in a twist. We all have our kinks and fantasies. I like fights and Juno here likes having them fight for her.” Emra says, her eyes were anchored to the fight.

“That is most certainly not one of my kinks!” She argues. Watching Nix and Kevin fight does have a certain flare to it, and what girl wouldn’t like two men fighting over her. Truth be told, it was sort of erotic knowing two men were fighting over you. She could see the appeal in and why Emra is mesmerized by the fight. 

“Juno, watch out!” Callie warned just in time for Juno to notice the commotion that moved closer. Kevin tossed a wild punch and missed Nix as he sidestepped. Kevin’s fist kept it’s speed and came barreling towards her. Pain radiates along her cheek, Kevin’s fist collides with a loud smack dropping her to the floor. Callie and Emra were immediately on Juno, covering and checking on her, helping her off the dirty floor, wet with spilled beer. 

A loud roar thundered as Nix grabbed Kevin by the waist, picked him up and slammed him down on top of a nearby table. The legs of the table snapped and the flat surface cracked in half. Kevin smashed through the table hitting the floor. Juno vision became blurry, was she losing her eyesight she wondered. Rubbing her eyes she realized they were tears.  

“Juno! Are you ok!?” Callie held Juno’s face in her palms and checked the growing bruise on her cheek.

“Crap! That’s going to leave a mark.” Emra adds in next to Callie, holding a cold beer bottle she pushed it against the forming bruise.

“Does it hurt?” Callie asks. Concern laced in her eyes, her voice a sorrowful whisper. 

Emra removed the bottle, Juno placed her palm against her cheek and hiss in pain. “f**k ya it does!”

“Let’s go. I think we’ve had our fun for the night. Juno, you’re coming home with us.” Callie says grabbing our purses from the booth.

Juno nods solemnly. Her mind was a scattered mess and is trying to wrap itself around what just happened. Kevin hit her, though she knew that it wasn’t intentional and that he didn’t mean to. However it still didn’t stop her from shrinking away when Kevin limped over and raised his hand to check the bruise. Juno pulled away and hid between her sisters. 

“f**k! Juno are you ok!?” Nix steps between her and Kevin, blocking his advancement.

He shouts over the broad form of Nix. “Move it asshole! It’s because of you I hit her!” Kevin accuses Nix vehemently.

“Don’t place that blame on anybody but yourself. You should be damn glad that I’m letting you limp out of my club instead of being dragged out.” Nix growls.

Kevin steps back up to Nix, nose to nose, all the testosterone finally becomes way too much for Juno. All the peacocking was overwhelming. Juno turned to her sisters and asked for them to take her home.

“Let’s go. Emra got the keys from the valet.” Emra jungles the keys and leads the way through the ocean of people. As they exited the bar they saw police cruisers pull up. Officers came out and spoke to some that nodded towards the club entrance.

“Look, the police are here.” You pointed out.

“Somebody probably called the police. Let’s go before more show up and make it even more difficult to get out of here.” Emra unlocks her car, and they all jump in. Sitting in the backseat, Juno leans her cheek bruised cheek against the cold window, frozen by the winter air. The ice cold felt wonderful on her aching cheek. As they drove by the front entrance she noticed Kevin and Nix were outside, Kevin was pointing and yelling over the officers shoulder at Nix.

“What’s happening?” Juno wondered out loud.

“Seems they are arresting Nix. Wonder why Kevin is getting away scot free.” Callie responds softly.

Juno watched the men in blue escort Nix down the steps. The closer he got to the squad car the faster her heart thundered. For some reason she had this strong urge to run to him that if she didn’t then she may never see Nix again, and she truly does. Despite the crazy night, she does want to see him again. She couldn’t explain this unfounded urge, call it crazy, call it stupid, but to her it felt like the right thing to do. He did nothing wrong after all.

“Stop the car!” Juno doesn’t wait for Emra to slow down, she throws the back door open and hopped out. They were only driving like 5 mph so it wasn’t like she was jumping out of a speeding car during a highway shootout.

Emra’s voice was shrill and loud as she screeched. “What the hell, Juno!?”

“Crazy, you’re utterly crazy!” Callie calls from her rolled down window.

Juno rushed towards NIx and the officer holding him jumped in front of her with his hands out stopping her. “Whoa, Whoa! Excuse me, but you can’t come any closer.” The officer orders her.

“Where are you taking him!?” She asks. Desperate to know, desperate for the officer to let him go.

Nix looks down at her with his emerald eyes, soft and kind. “Don’t worry, Juno. I’ll be back before you know it.” The officer yanked him away roughly and pulled him towards the squad car, another officer holding the back door open. Juno followed trying to formulate some way to get him out of trouble. She still didn’t understand why they were arresting him.

“What did he do that you’re taking him in handcuffs?”

“He started a fight, a witness said he hit a woman.” Juno’s mouth dropped open, the lies the officer told were ridiculous. 

She sputtered after them. “That’s not what happened!” Callie and Emra caught up to Juno and were standing beside her. Their presence gives her strength.